New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern cancels her wedding amid new Omicron restrictions

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday (January 23) that she had cancelled her wedding as new restrictions were imposed across the nation to slow the community spread of an COVID-19 Omicron outbreak.

New Zealand will impose mask rules and limit gathering from midnight on Sunday after a cluster of nine COVID-19 Omicron cases showed community spread from the North to South islands after a wedding.

A family returned to Nelson in the South Island by plane after attending a wedding and other events in Auckland in the North Island. The family and a flight attendant tested positive.

New Zealand will move to a red setting under its COVID-19 protection framework, with more mask wearing. Indoor hospitality settings such as bars and restaurants and events like weddings will be capped at 100 people. The limit is lowered to 25 people if venues are not using vaccine passes, Ardern said.

New Zealand's borders have been shut to foreigners since March 2020. The government pushed back plans for a phased reopening from mid-January to the end of February out of concern about a potential Omicron outbreak as in neighbouring Australia.

About 94% of New Zealand's population over the age of 12 is fully vaccinated and about 56% of those eligible have had booster shots.